


The Lovebirds: Halloween Special

by AnnECasap



Series: Lovebirds [1]
Category: Mulan (2020)
Genre: Early Relationship, F/F, Halloween Special, Modern AU, Pranks, spookiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27307732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnECasap/pseuds/AnnECasap
Summary: Mulan and Xian Lang spend their first Halloween together.
Relationships: Fa Mulan | Hua Mulan/Xian Lang (Disney)
Series: Lovebirds [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1993798
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	The Lovebirds: Halloween Special

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! Happy Spooky Day and hope y'all are being safe and celebrating/terrorizing safely. I wanted to do some holiday specials revolving around these two gal pal women warriors. This seemed like a fun concept to do. In this fic, it takes place early in my modern AUniverse, Lovebirds. This one will be a companion piece to my future, multi-chap origin love story of them which I am very excited to write, but unfortunately, won't be started just yet. It still requires much planning. But without further ado, please enjoy the very spooky, Lovebirds Halloween Special!
> 
> Trick or treat! Trick, I do not own Mulan (2020).

The month of October had been a pleasant, new experience for the young couple. Mulan and Xian Lang were discovering new things and quirks about their partner only two months into their relationship. Such as, Mulan was the festive one and Xian Lang, not so much. The older woman had been dragged through a pumpkin patch and a haunted house with her girlfriend and the latter with Mulan and her friends, at the younger woman’s behest. Although she never really partook in seasonal festivities, the ornithologist still enjoyed spending as much time as she could with her date. The next thing spooky month had in store for the couple was to watch spooky movies. 

The martial arts fanatic and the scientist were currently curled and bundled up under the covers in the master bedroom watching Sinister for the first time. Xian Lang was holding a clutching Mulan close at her side. The younger woman’s head rested against a warm shoulder while their hands remained interlocked. The jump scares would make the instructor jolt in fearful surprise and it amused the older woman to no end. It just gave them an excuse to hold each other closer. Not like they needed one in the first place. 

A yelp escaped the not-so-secretly frightened woman when something leapt at the screen for the umpteenth time. Who’s idea was it again to watch a horror movie during what seemed like the darkest night in the history of Earth? Oh yeah. Hers. 

Xian Lang laughed as her girlfriend jerked in her arms. Mulan playfully jabbed her arm and allowed to be nestled in closer. 

“Ass.”

“Don’t blame me. You’re the one who wanted to watch it.”

Mulan unsuccessfully tried to hide her pout. The scientist just smiled. She placed a kiss on her head and rubbed her back briefly. 

The movie came to a close and the martial arts instructor let out a breath of relief. Sitting up, she relaxed back against the headboard and buried her face in her hands. 

“Well that was uhh... I-It was a good movie. At least.”

Xian Lang snorted as she scrambled for the remote. “You don’t have to lie. You can say it was terrible or scary if you want.”

“What!? I-It wasn’t scary! I didn’t get scared...” Mulan glanced off to the side and nervously played with her fingers. The door was closed and locked when the movie started playing, right? She fought the intense urge to check under the bed just now. 

“Uh huh.” The older woman grinned deviously. “So, the martial arts fanatic is afraid of ghouls, is she?”

“Well excuse me! I can’t exactly punch a damn ghoul in the face. Masked serial killers armed with just a knife on the other hand, well,” the martial arts instructor flashed her a smug, toothy smile. “I know a hundred ways to take an assailant down that would put them to shame.”

“Confident, are we?” Xian Lang propped her head on her arm to face her girlfriend, half-sitting and half-laying under the covers. 

Mulan mimicked her position. “So,” her hand settled on the other woman’s hip. “What are you afraid of?”

“Nothing really. Certainly not ghouls or terribly clichéd horror tropes.” She answered with a quirk of her lips. 

“Really? There’s not a single thing out there that scares you?”

“Honestly no. All those things like clowns, vampires, ghosts, witches... those never frightened me as a child. I was more terrified of something else instead.”

“And what’s that?”

“Being alone.”

Mulan laid a tender hand on her girlfriend’s cheek and offered a comforting smile. “You’re not alone anymore, babe.”

Xian Lang brushed her lips to the palm holding her still. “I’m not afraid when I’m with you, Mulan.”

The younger woman scooted close for a sweet, reassuring kiss. Before it could grow heated, the scientist gently broke it off to gaze deep into blown, brown pupils. They were both equally breathless. The couple had yet to cross that new threshold into lovemaking, let alone professing their love for each other for the first time. Mulan had just gotten out of a serious relationship with Honghui and for Xian Lang, she considered the younger woman more special and precious than her forgettable partners. Suffice to say, they were taking their time and enjoying each other; neither one wanted to make an irreversible mistake and risk losing their new girlfriend. 

“It’s getting late,” her voice echoed softly. “Should I take you home?”

Mulan chewed on her lip anxiously. “Umm, actually... I was wondering, if I could stay here for the night? I-I know we haven’t really-... W-well we-I don’t wanna-“ 

Xian Lang briefly smirked at the sight of a flustered Mulan before ending her rambling with another kiss. “Relax, you silly girl. Of course you can spend the night here.” She was of course, ecstatic to have the younger woman over for the night. They may not have been ready to have sex yet, but Xian Lang loved cuddling with such a beautiful woman. However, the thought of teasing her was just too great to ignore. A devious grin graced her features. “You can take the guest bedroom. Only fearless women are allowed in my bed.” She finished with a wink.

Mulan gaped. Her jaw had almost unhinged itself. “W-what!? Are you serious!? I-I mean sure, I guess!” Crestfallen and appalled, she made to get out and venture through the dark. This was not how she envisioned spending her first night together with her new girlfriend that the student happened to be very fond of. But it was her house, her rules. After all, they hadn’t really planned on a sleepover tonight. 

Xian Lang quickly grabbed a retreating hand and pulled her back. “I’m kidding! You’re sleeping here with me! Not like that, but you understand.”

“You’re a jerk.” Mulan let herself be guided into warm, awaiting arms. The pout returned on her face with a killer vengeance. 

The ornithologist snickered and switched off the TV and lights before pulling the woman close to her chest. She pressed her lips to the top of head and prepared her body for sleep. 

“Goodnight, Mulan. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight, Xian Lang. You beautiful ass. Thank you for letting me sleep with you.”

****

Two days had passed since their first sleepover at Xian Lang’s house. The couple had slept soundly that night. Being wrapped in the older woman’s arms warded off any thoughts of ghouls or possessed children from attacking her in her sleep and having the college student nestled under her chin gave the ornithologist the best sleep she ever had. 

But, an idea soon sparked her interest. Just a harmless prank. Mulan wanted to test the theory of whether or not Xian Lang wasn’t afraid of anything. It slightly bothered her that the older woman hadn’t shown the slightest hint of fright when watching Sinister. Meanwhile, the student had been leaping out of her own skin left and right with each passing scene, apparently. 

With a little help and charm, the younger woman and some of Xian Lang’s coworkers rigged up a dreadful atmosphere complete with eerie music set to go off at random times, some bloody horror props, and flickering lights. And for the cherry on top, a hidden pop-up of a terrifying specter. The stage was set. The target would first brave the dark of the empty hallways with the lights having a mind of their own. Then, pass by the construction zone of the future bird sanctuary being built inside the research institute, hearing moaning and groaning of haunted voices echoing all around her. And finally, she would enter her office where a severed head on the desk and a pop-up jumping at her from behind the door were waiting for her. Mulan had to arrive at her girlfriend’s workplace three hours before the sun rose to set everything up with her helpers. Convincing them was not hard at all. The fellow scientists were more than happy to lend a hand to the woman responsible for putting a smile on the woman that used to never showed any outward emotion except seriousness. 

Strike of 08:00AM. The helpers scrambled and scattered to their respective places while Mulan went to hide under the desk in her girlfriend’s office. 

As soon as Xian Lang entered the hallway, she could feel something was off. Nevermind the fact that it was dark and the lighting was still currently all off and giving small spurts here and there, the older woman deduced either the building wasn’t paying its electrical bill or the lights had been tampered with. Shaking her head, she pulled out her phone to activate the built-in flashlight and proceeded forward. 

Her next trial would include treading through the Construction Zone of Lost Voices. Upon hearing the first ghastly groan, Xian Lang matched it with one of annoyance. “Really? This is what you got for me? How disappointing.” The voices failed; that much was clear and was to be expected. However, the sudden clang of obstacles and light, hurried footsteps coming from deep inside the modeling section elicited a surprised reaction from the older woman. She knew it was all fake but it sounded so real. After all, if someone got injured, it was only necessary to help them, right? Right. The ornithologist made to investigate the strange sounds, but quickly stopped herself from taking the first step. She almost fell for the trap. Clearing her mind, the woman resumed her journey. 

Finally, Xian Lang reached her office. Unlocking the door, she would admit only to herself that she was a little startled at the sight of seeing a grotesque, severed head on her desk. That was unexpected, but it was just a prop. If it left a mess, she would not only make the person responsible clean it up, but subject them to tedious paperwork for an entire week. As the scientist ventured in closer, she could feel a presence looming over her shoulder. The woman stood rooted and ready. As the figure pounced towards her, Xian Lang smashed its face in with the back of her fist in the blink of an eye. Oh yeah, she still got it. Upon close examination, she was both relieved and slightly disappointed that she took out the Grim Reaper and not the mysterious person who staged all this for her. Satisfied with her handiwork, she left the broken skeleton where it stood and got to her desk, ready to start her day. Pushing the severed head away, something caught the corner of her eye. Peering under, she found a crouched, deathly white version of what looked like her girlfriend staring back at her. Now that froze her heart. Leaping out of her seat with a loud shriek, Xian Lang hit the floor and paced backwards. 

Mulan crawled out and keeled over laughing. 

“You absolute jerk! What the hell!?”

“I’m so sorry! I couldn’t resist!” She said in between rasps. 

Xian Lang rose to her feet, dusting off the dirt on her once pristine three-piece work suit. Mulan following suit. 

The scientist scowled at ghost version of Mulan, who was cloaked in a raggedy white sheet, hair a disheveled mess, and pale makeup robbing the natural color from her face. 

“Is this funny to you? Giving your girlfriend a heart attack?”

“You should have seen your face!” Mulan’s laughter escalated again. Her sides were hurting from all the joy. 

Xian Lang rolled her eyes and shook her head. She picked her chair up from off the floor and proceeded to start working, ignoring her girlfriend all the way. No, she wasn’t genuinely upset. But, she did want to get back at her. And get back at her, she will. 

“If you’re quite finished, kindly leave. I’m busy today.” She buried herself in paperwork and graphical data, not even gracing the younger woman with eye contact. 

“All right, all right. Fine, I’ll get out of your hair.” Mulan placated and started for the door when a voice called out to her. 

“Before you go, is there any other dastardly traps I should look out for?” The woman still would not look up at her. 

“No. This was all it, honestly. Wait,” Mulan narrowed her eyes. “You’re not mad, are you?”

Silence. 

Mulan was getting worried. Did she just cross a line? Perhaps. “Xian Lang?”

The ornithologist continued to refuse to acknowledge her presence. 

“I’m sorry it was just a prank! Xian Lang..!?”

****

It was finally Halloween for the couple and Xian Lang had her own plans for her lovely girlfriend. They spent the entire week together with today being a scheduled sleepover. Mulan wanted to spend the night over and her sister Xiu would be over at a friend’s house party. Thankfully, the younger woman didn’t seem to suspect a thing. 

“You know, I suppose it’s a good thing you live in the woods just a ways away from the city.” Mulan chirped as she popped another handful of popcorn into her mouth. They decided to go with a not-so-scary movie, the Ghostbusters.

“Why do you say that?”

“No trick-or-treaters. No kids begging for candy in the middle of the night means we don’t have to leave this spot anytime soon.” 

Mulan and Xian Lang smiled at each other affectionately. Sharing a quick kiss, the cuddled in closer and redirected their attention back to the film. A soft, sherpa blanket covered their entwined legs with a bowl of popcorn atop while the fire from the fireplace kept them warm and set the mood. 

The movie ended sometime a little after midnight and the couple grew tiresome. Retiring to the bedroom, Mulan and Xian Lang cozied down in the bed. What started as a simple kiss quickly grew into a full-blown makeout session. As their tongues mingled, the older woman grew bold and straddled the younger woman’s hips. Pressing her body firmly against the college student, a moan escaped Mulan’s mouth before placing a hand against her girlfriend’s chest and backing away breathless. 

“Wait wait wait...”

Xian Lang also paused to catch her breath. “Too much?”

The other woman hesitantly nodded. She couldn’t deny that it felt like the greatest rush of her life having the sexy scientist this close and intimate with her. But perhaps it was still too early for the college student? Still too early for this stage in their relationship? Mulan did not want sex without meaning. 

The older woman smirked down at her reassuringly. “Ok.” She gently got off to lay on her side. “I’m sorry.”

“No no,” Mulan shook her head. Disappointment weighing in on herself rather than her partner. “Please don’t be sorry. I-... I just need a little bit more time.”

Xian Lang found her hand and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “I’ll wait as long as you want me to. I’m not going anywhere.”

Intertwining their fingers together, Mulan brought her girlfriend’s hand up to brush her lips against soft skin on the back of a hand. “Thank you.”

Perhaps the sentiment hadn’t been said yet, but it shone in their eyes. The younger woman cuddled in close, wrapping her arms tight around the older woman. She placed a kiss directly above her heart before drifting off into sleep. 

“Goodnight, Xian Lang.”

“Goodnight, Mulan.”

Sleep would come easy for them. However, that also meant Xian Lang’s revenge plan was set in motion. Thankfully, Mulan was a light sleeper. 

A resounding clang resounded from what sounded like the kitchen below. The martial arts fanatic cracked an eye open and a minute later, the sound returned. 

“Xian Lang? Xian Lang,” she nudged her shoulder and roused the woman from slumber. “Wake up. I think I heard a noise coming from downstairs.”

“Nonsense, you silly girl,” the older woman murmured sleepily. She rolled over so her back meet her girlfriend and curled her knees inward. “There’s no one here. It’s just me and trees for miles.”

“Sure but, I swear I heard something earlier. Will you please check it out with me?”

Glancing at her with tired eyes from over the shoulder, the scientist sighed and reluctantly threw the covers off. 

The couple traipsed downstairs, turning on lights along the way. When they got to the kitchen and living room area, the noise was nowhere to be found. 

“See? Told you it was nothing. Now come on, let’s go back to bed.”

Mulan refused to believe the facts, but the other woman was already making her way back upstairs. Frowning, the martial arts fanatic narrowed her eyes at the source before following her girlfriend and shutting the light off. 

Falling back in the bed, Mulan and Xian Lang’s arms encircled each other and snoozed. But it wasn’t long before the noise returned. The college student panicked slightly and shook her girlfriend awake again. 

“Xian Lang, it’s back. Do you hear that?” 

“It’s nothing. Go back to sleep.” She groaned. 

Pouting, Mulan propped herself on her elbows. “Babe, this is serious. Something’s going on downstairs.”

The groggy woman reached for her phone on the nightstand and passed it to her partner. “Here. Go call the Ghostbusters. They’ll be here in about an hour.”

“You pain in the ass!” The college student hissed, tossing it out of her grasp and landing somewhere between them on the blanket. “Fine! I guess I’ll go exorcise it myself.”

“Great, have fun.”

Mulan scoffed and prepared herself as she descended back into the dark. As she exited the room, Xian Lang grinned and blindly fumbled for her phone. 

‘She’s headed down. Flip the circuit breaker.’ The woman texted and got out of bed quietly, excited to prank her girlfriend. 

Switching the lights on in the kitchen and living room, Mulan thoroughly searched for the mysterious noise. Peering around the island and opening up the occasional cabinet, the source continued to elude her. 

“I know you’re here somewhere...” 

Taking another step, all the lights suddenly snuffed out. Eyes were blown wide with fear as a heart raced a mile a minute. The noise returned. Reaching out in the dark for anything to defend herself, Mulan’s hand tightened around the first thing it could find: a wooden spoon. 

“Shit!” She was gonna die. 

The armed martial arts fanatic could not make it back to the bedroom in the pitch darkness. Why in the world weren’t there any night lights in this woman’s house? Mulan was definitely going to fix that later. If, of course, she would make it through the worst sleepover ever. 

Something loud knocked down to the floor behind her. Screaming just as loud as the noise, if not more so, Mulan readied a stance with her deadly wooden spoon in hand. She could barely make out the room she was trapped in. 

Another clang and crash to her left. And then another one behind her. The young woman breathed deeply to get her heart rate under control as the kitchen utensil shook rapidly in her sweaty palms. 

Suddenly, all the noises stopped. Everything became deathly still. Only the shallow breathing and beating of an uneasy heart blared in her ears. One beat passed. Two. The grip on the spoon coiling tighter as the fanatic waited for the inevitable. 

A deafening, terrifying roar at her back made Mulan scream at the top of her lungs, jump and skitter away until her fingertips nudged the corner of the counter. With nowhere to go and nothing to lose, she threw the wooden spoon in her hands at the source of the night terror. 

The young woman was pleasantly surprised to hear a yelp of pain extinguish the monstrous wail. A human one, at that. 

“Ow!” Strange. The monster sounded remarkably like her friend, Yao. 

“Yao!?”

“Yes! Who did you think it was!?” 

The lights suddenly came back on. Mulan, on the floor backed into a corner, looked up to find her friend massaging a spot on his forehead. 

“What in the world is going on!?”

“Ha! How does it feel to be scared shitless!?” Xian Lang appeared from the living room and pointed an accusing finger at her target tonight. 

“Wha-! You did this!?” Mulan gaped in disbelief and betrayal. 

“Yes! This was my way of paying you back when you terrified me and left that bloody mess on my desk a few days ago.”

Mulan sagged her shoulders and frowned. Arms coming up to weakly clutch at her sides. “Yeah well, you almost scared me to death...” 

Xian Lang sighed regretfully. “I’ll admit that this was a bit much.” Moving in and stopping within arms distance, Xian Lang refrained from touching her spooked girlfriend for now. “I’m sorry I frightened you.”

Mulan looked up and found tender, sorrowful eyes staring back at her. It was enough to melt away her anxieties and anger. She reached out to loop her arms around the older woman’s neck while the latter pulled her partner in close by the waist. “I’m sorry I scared you, too.”

“Hey,” Xian Lang cooed softly. “How about I make it up to you by taking you out next Friday? We can go to that new hot pot place you always wanted to try.”

Mulan smiled from ear to ear. “Really?”

“Really. I’ll get out of work early to pick you up right after class.”

Bringing her in close, the college student smooched her girlfriend appreciatively. 

“That sounds lovely.”

“Hey!” 

The couple’s sweet moment was brought to a halt by the lone male. 

“What about our deal!? And look at my forehead!” A noticeable red welt began to form at the center. The martial arts fanatic was impressive with her combat prowess. With an uneasy composure and having no vision to navigate the darkness that enveloped her, it was nothing short of remarkable that the young woman hit her target dead center in the head. She was beyond talented. 

“Nice hit.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey! I still wanna get paid! I should charge you double now for the injury!” Yao protested as he rubbed his sore spot. 

Xian Lang rolled her eyes. Breaking out of the tender hold, she fished out a couple bills from her pocket. 

“Yeah yeah yeah, here’s your forty bucks.”

“Forty! I thought we agreed on fifty!”

“Look at this mess you made in my kitchen!” Xian Lang wildly gestured. Pots, pans, cooking utensils littered the floor and most of the cabinets were left wide open in his wake of terror.

“Look at my forehead!” He pointed in retaliation. 

“Forty. Take it or leave it.” Xian Lang upturned her chin in defiance and held out the owed money. 

Yao grumbled and took the deal. “Fine. Mulan, I’ll see you in class Monday.”

“Goodbye Yao! Pleasure doing business with you!”

The bulky guy flipped her off while escorting himself out. They all knew there were no harsh feelings. Yao could butt heads with just about anyone but he always got along with Mulan and Xian Lang. 

The couple chuckled at his action. Turning back to the older woman, Mulan’s arms found their way back looped around her neck. 

“You’re an ass...”

Xian Lang smirked and swooped in for a sweet kiss. “Yeah, but I’m your ass.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below. Listen, I hear all the requests I have been given and you will all be pleasantly informed that I will do the very best of my abilities to write them. Unfortunately, it'll take some time for me to get to them. There's a queue, and then there's a queue for the first queue, and then there's the requests queue. As of now, I'm more than halfway through all the prompts in the first group. Please be patient and stay tuned! There's more on the way. Ohhh there is so much more. Until next time.


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